What’s the Difference Between Foster Care and Private Adoption? When families begin to research the adoption process, they can be immediately overwhelmed by the long list of possible ways to add a child to their family. Among the many choices, families tend to gravitate toward two different methods: foster care and private adoption. Deciding which route is best for your…

Tips for Establishing an Adoption Support System The old adage that no man is an island holds true in almost every circumstance, adoption included. Prospective adoptive families often underestimate the important role that a support system will play in the development and finalization of their adoption. Friends and family members will be there during the celebrations and the unavoidable struggles…

Recipe for a Successful Adoption When it comes to preparing your heart and home for a new adoption, many prospective parents want to know the keys to success. They question seasoned parents and agency workers about what they should do and when. How much time should they spend reading literature? Is there a secret to choosing the right agency? Which…

Moving from Infertility to Adoption Finding out that you may not be able to give birth to biological children is an incredibly painful experience for many couples. For many couples, having a baby signifies an important milestone in their lives that simply can’t be overlooked. They would do anything to raise their own child. You may immediately be overwhelmed by…

Preparing (Or Not) for Adoption Bringing home a new child requires plenty of advance preparation, whether you’re giving birth or adopting. Adoption brings a host of new concerns about whether parents are doing enough to make themselves ready for this new child. Prospective parents spend months pouring over literature, looking at infant pictures, and researching the very best ways to…

Adoption Counseling What do you think of when you hear the word counseling? Some might consider counseling a place for “other people.” Perhaps you consider counseling to be a place for people with mental health issues or for people who can’t keep their emotions in check on a day to day basis. Maybe counseling is for the weak. Maybe there…

10 Common Reasons for Putting a Child Up for Adoption Many birth mothers struggle with the idea of creating an adoption plan for their baby. Oftentimes, they wonder if their reasons for placing their child for adoption are good enough or understandable. Will she be judged for carrying a child to term and selecting someone else to raise it? Making…

Transracial Adoption We have all seen the covers of People magazine featuring the beautiful photos of Sandra Bullock carrying her chubby thighed, smiley faced, African american baby boy or Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt with their gaggle of children of all different colors, shapes and sizes looking so regal and trendy. Thirty years ago, these families would have been viewed…

6 Questions To Ask Adoptive Parents When Choosing A Family For Your Baby Birth mothers who choose adoption for their babies have an incredibly difficult task set before them when it comes to selecting a family who will ultimately raise the child. Most adoptive families assemble some of their basic information into a type of life book. Whether that means…

5 Things to Remember When Talking to a Birth Mother Talking with the birth mother of your potential child is a nerve-wracking experience for all parties involved. Adoptive families often wait patiently for the possibility of a match with a prospective birth mother, and the first conversation can be especially terrifying. Is there a possibility that the connection won’t be…